NOAA's NWS Focus - October 21, 2002

Comprehensive Winter Weather Training Suite Available

Winter weather forecast training modules have been updated and expanded, according to the NWS Training Office.

New resources for forecaster training include changes to the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) numerical weather prediction models. Other winter training resources include short web-based case studies, longer Weather Event Simulator case studies, and short modules and webcasts on atmospheric processes of notable importance in winter storm situations. Some previously released resources also suitable for winter weather training include modules on icing forecasting for aviation, and on techniques for using satellite products from GOES and polar-orbiting satellites.

A two-week course on winter weather forecasting is scheduled for December 1-13, 2002, in Boulder, CO. The course will be taught by the Meteorological Service of Canada in conjunction with the Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training (COMET).

Look for more information on the Winter Weather Training web page at: http://meted.ucar.edu/winter.htm.

Director's Dialog:
Radar Elevation Angles

Would the NWS consider revisiting the issue of radars using elevation angles less than .5 degrees? This is a major limitation that affects our performance in forecasting severe thunderstorms, lake effect snow, lake breezes, etc. Almost all NWS offices have significant portions of their CWAs [County Warning Areas] where the radar beam is 8,000-10,000 feet above the ground. This precludes the radar being used to monitor outflow boundaries of thunderstorms and makes it difficult to determine if rotation seen at .5 degrees is reaching the surface. This directly reduces our ability to determine whether or not a severe thunderstorm may be tornadic. While the WSR-88D is certainly superior to the WSR-57 and WSR-74 in most other aspects, it is seriously hampered by this limitation.

Thank you,

Richard Mamrosh
NWS Green Bay

I am open to exploring this issue further. Both Dennis McCarthy and Vickie Nadolski, are looking into this matter. A revision like this will not happen overnight and may require formal studies.

Here's some background:

In the early stages of the initial NEXRAD radar deployment, we faced law suits over perceived environmental issues associated with the radar signals. We conducted environmental assessments and concluded the maximum radar radiation intensity level at any particular spot would be thousands of times lower than recommended safe levels. To assure, in minimum time, completion of the NEXRAD network, we chose to limit the lowest WSR-88D elevation angle to 0.5 degrees–the same as the, nominally, lowest angle used with the WSR-57 radars. The NEXRAD network has operated to date with this elevation angle restriction, and has clearly been successful in providing information that enables forecasters to improve our tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings.

When policy hinders doing our job, I encourage you, and all NWS staff, to follow a "bottom up" process to enlist support for policy modifications. Get your boss to raise the issue to the Regional or NCEP Headquarters level. The Regional or NCEP director can, if warranted, affect the change, or work with Headquarters NWS to resolve the problem.

Jack Kelly, NWS Director

Have a question for the Director? Follow this link for guidelines for submitting a Director's Dialog question.

Data Buoy Station Records High Wind Record

The highest wind speeds ever recorded by a National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoy occurred recently as Hurricane Lili was approaching the U.S. coast. Buoy Station #42001 reported sustained 10-minute average speeds of 113 miles per hour and peak (5-second) gusts reached 149 miles per hour. The previous record was 106 miles per hour with gusts to 131 miles per hour recorded by Station #42003 in November 1985 during Hurricane Kate.

"The buoy encountered the eastern eye wall," said Dave Gilhousen of the NDBC, "but it did not go through the eye." All sensors survived the storm and continued to report valid measurements. Both anemometers reported wind speeds that agreed within 2 miles per hour. The anemometers will be brought back and tested in NDBC's wind tunnel to further substantiate the measurements.

Gilhousen said another type of record was being broken at NDBC during Hurricane Lili. NDBC's web servers were recording over one million hits that day and the system was struggling under the heavy load. Several computer analysts and contractors worked until the early hours of the morning to install a third server to the cluster, clear up network problems, and load balance the system. The improved capacity will help meet high demand from mariners and meteorologists during future storms.

Working Together To Save Lives:
Buffalo Open House Demonstrates Local Partnerships

Combining efforts with government and civilian organizations in the community was a successful formula for an open house hosted by the NWS Buffalo Weather Forecast Office (WFO) last month. The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors.

"With the help of our partners, this event was well publicized and received tremendous coverage in the local media," said Stan Levine, WFO Buffalo's Warning Coordination Meteorologist.
"This event not only spotlighted what the NWS does, it shows how we've cultivated close relationships that save lives through strategic partnerships."

The Air Force sent a seven-man Combat Weather Team from Fort Drum, NY, and set up a tactical weather station, said Mike Pukajlo, Hydrometeorological Technician at WFO Buffalo and leader of the office's open house team. Pukajlo said the Air Force had "a full compliment of equipment and demonstrated how it is used to support Army combat operations like the ongoing mission in Afghanistan."

The Federal Aviation Administration provided a display tent highlighting the partnership between aviation and weather. The local government even provided a Mobile Command Bus for visitors to walk through filled with a variety of emergency communications and computer equipment.

"We work with all of these agencies and their participation in our open house really made this event successful," noted Pukajlo. The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport supported the event with a huge runway snowplow, along with a large auger snow remover. "This equipment is necessary here in Buffalo. In December 2001, we forecasted and received a paralyzing 80 inches of snow that fell at the airport in five days."